Rule of law, justice, security and human rights

Strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights are cornerstones of UNDP’s work to achieve sustainable human development and eradicate extreme poverty.

Through rule of law and human rights assistance, UNDP contributes to building peace and democratic governance across the full range of development contexts. UNDP also facilitates broader UN rule of law efforts in crisis and conflict-affected settings through the work of the Global Focal Point for Police, Justice and Corrections.

Key areas of UNDP’s rule of law and human rights work include:

Improving access to justice and remedies, and helping people enforce their rights;

Increasing community security and reducing armed violence, including through curbing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons;

Addressing sexual and gender-based violence and increasing women’s participation and leadership in justice and security institutions, particularly in peacebuilding and recovery contexts;

Supporting the promotion and protection of human rights, including strengthening the work of National Human Rights Institutions, supporting engagement with the international human rights machinery and promoting the application of the human rights-based approach to development programming and national planning processes; and

Supporting transitional justice to promote redress for past violence and human rights violations and to enable societies to recover from the legacy of violence.